Why human gene editing must not be stopped

The international summit on human gene editing concludes tomorrow. This is why they must agree to allow scientists to pursue work on human DNA

An international summit on human gene editing is underway in Washington DC. Scientists and other specialists, myself among them, are gathered here to discuss the potential of powerful new technologies to make changes to human DNA. A major question for those attending is whether gene editing of human embryos for therapeutic reasons should be on the table or categorically ruled out.

All of us need gene editing to be pursued, and if possible, made safe enough to use in humans. Not only to pave the way for procedures on adult tissues, but to keep open the possibility of using gene editing to protect embryos from susceptibility to major diseases and prevent other debilitating genetic conditions from being passed on through them to future generations.